using outside to post Wallingford carefully on all
their new names, and here they found Billy Banting and Larry Teller in
company with a stranger, one glance at whom raised Wallingford's
spirits quite appreciably, for he was so obviously made up.

He was a raw-boned young fellow who wore an out-of-date derby, a
cheap, made cravat which rode his collar, a cheap suit of loud-checked
clothes that was entirely too tight for him, and the trousers of
which, two inches too short, were rounded stiffly out below the knees,
like stove-pipes, by top-boots which were wrinkled about the ankles.
Moreover, the stranger spoke with a nasal drawl never heard off the
stage.

Wallingford, with a wink from Phelps, was introduced to Mr. Pickins
as Mr. Mombley. Then, leaning down to Mr. Pickins with another
prodigious wink at Wallingford, Phelps said in a stage-whisper to the
top-booted one:

"Mr. Mombley is our engraver. Used to work in the mint."

"Well, I'll swan!" drawled Mr. Pickins. "I'd reckoned to find such a
fine gove'ment expert a older man."

With a sigh Wallingford took up his expected part.

"I'm older than I look," said he. "Making money keeps a man young."

"I reckon," agreed Mr. Pickins, and "haw-hawed" quite broadly. "And
did you really make this greenback?" he asked, drawing from his vest
pocket a crinkled new ten-dollar-bill which he spread upon the table
and examined with very eager interest indeed.

"This is one of that last batch, Joe," Short-Card Larry negligently
informed Wallingford, with a meaning wink. "I just gave it to him as a
sample."

"By jingo, it's scrumptious work!" said Mr. Pickins admiringly.

"Yes, they'll take that for a perfectly good bill anywhere," asserted
Wallingford. "Just spend it and see," and he pushed the button. "Bring
us a bottle of the best champagne you have in the house," he directed
the waiter, and with satisfaction he noted the startled raising of
heads all around the table, _including the head of Mr. Pickins_.

"I don't like to brag on myself," continued Wallingford, taking on
fresh animation as he began to see humor in the situation, "but I
think I'm the grandest little money-maker in the city, in my special
line. I don't go after small game very often. A ten is the smallest I
handle. Peters," he suddenly commanded Phelps, "show him one of those
lovely twenties."

"I don't think I have one of the new ones," said Phelps, moistening
his lips, but nevertheless reaching for